The state’s basketball committee recently voted unanimously in favor of a fourth division in Western and Central Massachusetts.
Fall in the Pioneer Valley brings us many things. Among them, of course, are the sights of beautiful foliage and the sounds and smells – and tastes – of The Big E.
If you’re a fan of high school sports in Western Massachusetts, each fall also brings the next great season for the Ludlow boys soccer program.
Winners of the last two Division I state championships, the Lions have started 2012 hotter than any team in the state, pitching shutouts in each of their four games. That 4-0 record comes from routs of East Longmeadow (4-0), Minnechaug (3-0), Wahconah (3-0) and Taconic (5-0).
Kevin Borowiec is the Lions’ top scorer. He has four goals already, scoring once in each game. The three-sport star, who also plays baseball and basketball, is just a junior.
Dylan Pereira (three goals), Mike Goncalves (two goals, two assists) and Sukru Yildirim (two goals, three assists) have also contributed greatly to the team’s red-hot start.
Given their postseason success and early-season run, the Lions are getting respect from media across the state. ESPN Boston has Ludlow No. 1 in its MIAA Boys Top 20 poll.
For Ludlow, though, success isn’t measured in the polls or even in September. The Lions want to – and typically do – win in November.
All told, the Lions have won 17 state championships and more than 30 Western Mass. titles. What’s equally impressive, however, is Ludlow’s performance over the last five years: five sectional titles and three of the last four state crowns.
DIVISION IV FOR AREA BASKETBALL: Eastern Mass. – both the North and South sections – has had four divisions for boys and girls basketball for some time. While the Division IV tournament fields are a bit smaller than the others, the scenario has generally been considered a good one, as even the smallest of schools has a shot at winning a title.
Those fields will become much bigger in 2013-2014 as the state’s basketball committee recently voted unanimously in favor of a fourth division in Western and Central Mass.
The addition of Division IV may produce a major shakeup in the alignments here.
When it comes time for the postseason, the proposed alignments would add Fitchburg and Leominster to boys Division I West; North Middlesex, Quabbin, Shepherd Hill and Tantasqua to Division II; and Narragansett and Quaboag to Division III. If the proposal is approved, boys Division IV West would include Dean Tech, Franklin County Tech, Gateway, Granby, Hampden Charter, Holyoke Catholic, Hopkins Academy, Lee, Lenox, McCann Tech, Monson, Montachusett Regional, Mount Everett, Murdock, North Brookfield and North Central Charter.
In girls basketball, Fitchburg, Leominster and Shepherd Hill would be added to Division I. In Division II, North Middlesex, Quabbin and Tantasqua would move to the West, with Narragansett and Quaboag coming over in Division III. The girls Division IV alignment would include Dean Tech, Franklin County Tech, Gateway, Granby, Hampden Charter, Holyoke Catholic, Hopkins Academy, Lee, Lenox, McCann Tech, Monson, Montachusett Regional, Mount Everett, Murdock, New Leadership, North Brookfield, North Central Charter, Pathfinder, Pioneer Christian, Pioneer Valley Regional, Putnam, Saint Joseph, Saint Mary, Smith Academy, Smith Vocational, Turners Falls, Ware and Westfield Vocational.
FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PROPOSAL: Voting day will come a bit early for the Massachusetts football community. The most recent and strongest statewide football playoff proposal will be voted on Oct. 26 by the 373 schools of the MIAA.
The proposal is the latest of several recent attempts at getting the system right when considering scheduling, enrollment and traditional Thanksgiving Day games. The proposal includes six divisions and will determine six statewide champions without impacting Thanksgiving games.